Evaluation of intestinal dysbiosis in patients with psoriasis and correlation with Th17 cytokines

• Grant number: 18/14209-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Gislane Lelis Vilela de Oliveira
• Grantee: Richard Lucas Konichi Dias
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde de Barretos Dr Paulo Prata (FACISB). Barretos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The commensal microbiota of the oral-gastrointestinal tract comprises several species of microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that live in symbiosis with the human being and reside mainly in the distal portion of the intestine. The relationship of mutualism between the microbiota and the host includes contributions such as digestion and fermentation of carbohydrates, vitamin production, development of lymphoid tissues associated with the mucosa and prevention of colonization by pathogens due to competition. However, when this relationship between host and commensal mutualism is dysregulated, a condition is known as dysbiosis, the intestinal microbiota may contribute to the development of chronic and autoimmune inflammatory diseases. The objective of this work will be to evaluate intestinal dysbiosis in patients with psoriasis and to correlate with serum levels of Th17 cytokines. Patients and control subjects will be included in the health posts associated with the Health Department of the municipality of Barretos. Both groups will sign the informed consent form and will respond to the questionnaire on lifestyle and eating habits. Samples of feces will be collected by the individuals themselves in universal collection bottles, after identification and clarification regarding the collection. The bacterial DNA will be extracted using a commercial kit and the characterization of the microbiota will be performed by real-time PCR using primers for specific bacterial groups. Th17 cytokine dosing will be performed by ELISA assays. The results of the intestinal microbiota from patients and controls will be analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test and the correlations by Spearman's test. We expect to find differences in the composition of the intestinal microbiota of patients relative to healthy subjects and possible correlations with clinical data and inflammatory cytokines. Additional studies on dysbiosis in autoimmune diseases are necessary, and possibly in the future, immunomodulatory probiotics may assist in the adjuvant treatment of psoriasis.